As you know , our
country has been hit again by a strong earthquake ( measuring 8.3 on the
Richter scale ) followed by a tsunami .
The quake occurred this time in the North, with its epicenter in the ocean,
between the cities of Arica and Iquique. The authorities
have extended the tsunami warning for the entire coast of the country, as a prevention.

For already 15 days ,
there had been a succession of tremors in the North (more than 400). They had
expected an earthquake of greater magnitude and experts predict that there will
still be an even stronger one to come due to the tectonic plate motion .

Chile is the most seismic country of the world,
often there are tremors in every part of the territory. Occasionally there are
large earthquakes. Despite having a long experience with earthquakes, people still
always get scared and many die from heart problems. Many buildings were damaged
and as of now, 6 people have died.

Our sisters of Antofagasta and Tocopilla
have had to leave their homes and spend the night in shelters located in higher
areas , to protect themselves from the threat of tsunami . Thank God nothing has
happened and all are doing well.

On the other hand,
four of our bookcenters are located in flood hazard areas , but for now have
not been affected .

We thank God for the
life of our people , and we continue to pray for everyone so that they can
overcome the trauma that each earthquake causes and thank you for the prayers
that you offer us in solidarity in this difficult time .